


milk+honey

by bangyabangya



Category: Stray Kids (Band)
Genre: Anxiety, Awkward Romance, Bathing/Washing, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Feelings Realization, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Hurt/Comfort, ITS MY FAVORITE TROPE OK, M/M, Stressed Chan, Supportive Woojin, Woojin takes care of Chan like always, woochan - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-11-09
Updated: 2018-11-08
Packaged: 2019-08-20 23:05:47
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 5,555
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16564832
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bangyabangya/pseuds/bangyabangya
Summary: bang chan is stressed, and for once he's not handling it well. kim woojin prepares an entire day of rest and relaxation to take his mind off it-- including a milk&honey bath, and a home-cooked dinner date.(super fluffy hurt & comfort)





	1. Chapter 1

"Again!" 

They all made their way back to the middle of the floor, clutching at their sides, breathing ragged. This was the twenty-second time Chan had made them restart the opening choreography. Crouched at the front of the room, his eyes were narrow slits as he watched them. 

Not even thirty seconds into the song-- right after the big, synchronized leap-- Jeongin broke formation and fell to his knees, retching. Nothing came out, but the members immediately crowded around him, laying him gently on his back and fanning him with their hands. His eyelids fluttered, but he didn't pass out.  _Thank God_ , Woojin thought. Their maknae wasn't weak, but he was still just so young. Or maybe they all just felt that way about him. 

When Woojin was sure the boy was okay, he got up to grab a bottle of water. As he passed their leader, Chan's eyes were unusually cold. 

"If you're not feeling well, say something," Chan said flatly. "You can't let this happen on stage." The members' heads whipped around in surprise at his tone. Even Jeongin weakly lifted his head from the floor, looking confused and hurt. 

Darkness flashed across Changbin's face. If anyone had the courage to stand up to Chan in a bad mood, it was Changbin-- especially if it came to the safety of the younger members. "We need a break, Chan." His eyes flitted briefly to the clock on the wall. "It's been five straight hours, and we hardly slept last night."

Woojin looked carefully between them, staying silent as he usually did. His place wasn't to speak up during these things-- it was to do the tending, the cleaning, the picking up of broken pieces afterwards. 

Chan threw his hands in the air. "The showcase is next week, and we  _still_ don't have that jump down. Do you wanna go in front of the whole world and fuck it up?"

"We won't do that. You _know_ we won't. But running everyone until they get sick isn't going to help. You know that too. So what the fuck, Chan? Jeongin almost passed out and you just  _yelled_  at him." 

Everyone in the practice room was absolutely silent. The tension in the air was so thick it was hard to breathe. 

Then it happened. Woojin saw the slightest motion from Chan's left hand-- he was pressing the nail of his ring finger into his palm. Again and again, making a nervous, silent beat against the skin. Chan's eyes were cast downward, unfocused. 

Woojin's heart skipped a beat. He knew what those signs meant. He might be the only person in the room who knew. He immediately leapt into action. 

"All of you, out," he said to the others. His voice was kind but stern. Everyone responded to his words at once, jumping up and gathering their things hastily. Even Changbin didn't question him. "Jeongin, how are you feeling? Can you sit up okay?" 

The maknae lifted himself on his elbows and nodded. 

"Good," said Woojin, glancing back at Chan, who hadn't moved. "Hyunjin, can you carry him to the nurse?" JYP's new building had a 24-hour nurse's station-- one of many improvements. "Anyone else feeling dizzy, go with them and get an IV. Everyone else, back to the dorms. Eat and rest. No more practice tonight."

It took less than five minutes for the practice room to clear. Hyunjin, who had the most stamina out of all them other than Chan, picked up Jeongin easily. And just like that, the room was empty. 

As soon as the door clicked shut, Woojin was at Chan's side. 

And not a moment too soon. The other boy collapsed, and Woojin barely caught him under the arms before he hit the ground. Grunting, Woojin lowered him as gently as he could to his knees.  

Woojin had known from the moment he saw Chan's finger tapping against his palm. It was his tell. He always did that when he was trying to keep himself together before-- _whatever_ this was. Woojin didn't know what to call them. He'd only seen it happen a few times. The first time, when he walked in on Chan alone in the corner of his room, crying silently, Woojin panicked and almost called their manager. But Chan had barely managed to reach a hand out to grab his hand away from his phone, shaking his head  _no_. When Woojin asked what was wrong, Chan just threaded his fingers through Woojin's and wouldn't let go.

That episode lasted for two hours. Woojin sat with him the whole time. 

As Woojin found out later from Changbin and Jisung-- the only others who knew about it-- that was rare. Chan hated having anyone see him like that. That was why, as soon as Woojin noticed his hands, he cleared the practice room. It was also why Changbin let the argument drop without a single protest. 

"I've got you," was the first thing Woojin said now. 

The other boy clutched at him. His hands were shaking. Slowly-- as if the movement pained him-- Chan let his head fall into Woojin's chest.  _Good_ , Woojin thought with relief. The worst episodes were the ones where Chan withdrew completely. If he let himself be comforted, this one probably wasn't going to be too bad. He didn't want it to be bad for him. He didn't want Chan to suffer. 

And then all at once Chan's strange trance broke, and he was crying and clenching his fists and burrowing himself against Woojin's chest. "I can't believe I yelled at him," he choked out through sobs. 

Woojin's whole body relaxed, making itself soft and pliant and accepting Chan's insistent force against it. He wrapped his arms around the other boy, his knees uncomfortable on the hard practice room floor but ignoring it to stay as close as possible. "We know you didn't mean it," he said calmly. He didn't agree with what Chan had done today, but now wasn't the time. 

Chan fisted his hands in the material of Woojin's shirt, pushing closer. His hair was soaked with sweat and the scent of it filled Woojin's nostrils. He didn't dislike it-- it smelled like practice and friends and hard work and-- and something else. Something more he couldn't name. "What's going on, Chan?" he asked softly. "We know you would never hurt us on purpose." 

It was like Chan suddenly deflated. He let go of Woojin and seemed to sink down towards the floor, finally reaching a defeated, hunched over position, his forehead resting against the cold practice room floor. 

" _Everything_ is riding on this comeback," he mumbled. Woojin had to bend low to hear him. "If we fail now, that's it. That's _it_."

Woojin pursed his lips together. He couldn't say he was surprised. They  _all_ knew it; they all felt the same pressure. The marketing team had told them a million times how important this comeback was. 

Somehow, their last title track had gone viral. It was only their third comeback ever. They had been doing well before that-- their MVs had been consistently getting 30, then 40, then even 50 million views. JYP's plan for them was steady growth. Building a loyal fanbase. Slowly making their way into awards here and there. 

But it didn't happen according to plan. Something about their last track just went over way better than anyone could have ever expected, and it _exploded_. The MV already had over  _200 million views_ , and it earned them eight straight weeks of award show wins. 

At first, they were ecstatic. Who wouldn't be? Wasn't this their dream, to be on top?

But then their promotion period ended. 3racha started working on the next album. And what they discovered was the pressure. The weight of those two hundred million views, sitting on their shoulders,  _waiting_. 

And it wasn't just the fans. All of their meetings with the company had been the same-- just talking about how much of a chance this was, how important it would be, and how it would likely make or break their chances at stardom. They wouldn't be jobless or anything if their comeback flopped-- the fans who had been with them before the viral hit would stick around-- but this would determine whether they would be accepted or rejected by the general public, and that decision was usually final.

Lucky for the group, Bang Chan, Changbin, and Jisung were great at what they did, and they produced a killer full-length album. Not a single track was lacking, and everyone-- including the company-- thought it was their best work yet.  

But that didn't stop the pressure. Especially not for Chan, who felt like he was responsible for the entire group's success in everything. Woojin knew, even without Chan having to say it. He saw it in Chan's sleepless nights, in the strictness of his voice during practice, and the wetness of his cheeks that didn't come from sweat. He knew. 

So he didn't try to deny what Chan said. Empty words wouldn't help him. Instead Woojin just placed a hand on Chan's back and rubbed it gently, not even caring about the sweat-soaked fabric. He'd sit here as long as their leader needed him to.

Eventually the other boy heaved a big sigh and sat up. He sniffed, wrinkling his nose. 

"We need to keep practicing," he said half-heartedly. Like he didn't really want to, but felt like he had to say it anyway.

"Well, I sent everyone home already, so we can't," Woojin replied. "I'm sending you home, too," he said firmly. "Let's go."

"But--"

"No buts." Woojin rarely spoke so aggressively to the leader, but when Chan was like this, he needed it. Yet another thing that Woojin simply knew. He knew a lot, he realized, when it came to Bang Chan.

Reluctantly, the other boy got to his feet. Woojin grabbed hold of his hand. "And when we get there," he added cheekily, not sure where this courage was coming from, "you're going straight to bed."

* * *

To his surprise, Chan did as he was told. Woojin walked him to his room (telling him it was to make sure he didn't try to pull Jisung or Changbin into another brainstorming session, but really because he was worried about how unsteady Chan's steps had been going up the stairs), and the younger boy fell into bed without even changing his clothes. Woojin wrinkled his nose at that, but turned off the light and closed the door quietly. 

He had an idea.

* * *

An hour later he returned from the 24-hour general store, arms laden with plastic bags full of groceries and other supplies. Most of the other members were still awake, and they looked at him like he had sprouted an extra head. 

"Why are you grocery shopping at one A.M.?" Jeongin asked. 

"Why are you grocery shopping, period?" added Jisung, puzzled. Except for special occasions, they rarely did any cooking in the dorm. 

"I need you guys out of the dorm tomorrow," was Woojin's only answer. 

The kids all burst into protest. 

"What?!"

"Why?"

"For how long?"

Woojin dumped the bags on the table and fidgeted with the plastic, trying to decide whether or not to tell them. He was embarrassed, but he didn't really know why. 

After a few seconds, he decided on a half-truth. "Chan needs to rest," he said. "You guys know how hard he's taking this. And you know he won't let himself relax if you're all here." He raised his eyebrows at them. "Plus, don't you want a day of practice without Chan there?" He felt a twinge of guilt saying it, but from the way everyone fell silent and looked around at each other, he knew they were feeling equally as guilty about being pulled in by his bribe. 

"You're right, he wouldn't be able to rest with us here," Changbin agreed quickly. The others nodded. 

"Good," Woojin said. "Be quiet in the morning. Out by eleven." He could count on Chan to sleep until at least noon if he didn't have an alarm to wake him up. A slight blush rose in his cheeks and he busied himself unpacking the grocery bags to hide it. "And don't come back until... nine."

" _Nine_?!"

He pretended not to hear their cries of protest and carried on putting things away, blush deepening. 

* * *

Just as he expected, Chan's room was still silent at half past noon. _He'll probably be up soon_. Putting phase one of his plan into action, he grabbed his wallet and hoodie and walked out the front door, letting it click softly closed behind him.

When he returned thirty minutes later, a disheveled, sleepy-eyed Chan was sitting at the kitchen table, mindlessly scrolling through his phone and still in the same clothes from yesterday. "Morning," he yawned as Woojin walked in. 

Woojin wrinkled his nose. "You stink." 

Chan didn't even look up from his phone. "Your mom stinks."

Woojin shook his head and laughed under his breath. They were the same age, but Chan could be so immature sometimes. It was... _cute_ , he thought. 

Usually when those kind of thoughts popped into his head, he chased them away. But this time, he let it stay. He looked at the other boy sitting at the kitchen table the nine of them shared, his natural curly hair messy from sleep and still in his gross practice clothes, and that's the thought his mind chose to think. Cute. He let it be. 

"I got breakfast," Woojin said, placing a brown paper bag on the table in front of Chan's sleepy face. As soon as he saw it, the boy's eyes lit up. 

"Mermaid!" It was his favorite bakery. He opened the bag and pulled out a chocolate coronet, a ham and cheese croque bun, and a plain croissant. Then Woojin handed him his usual morning indulgence, an iced cold brew with soy milk, and his grin widened. 

But abruptly it vanished, replaced by a look of suspicion. "Wait," he said, "why did you get me breakfast? You've never gotten me breakfast before." He looked around, all the soft sleepiness gone from his face. "And where is everyone?"

_It only took him five minutes_. Not bad. Woojin grinned despite himself. "They're practicing, of course. Like you said, we still don't have that jump down."

Chan's face was unreadable. After a moment he started packing the pastries back into the bag. "We have to go join them," he said flatly. "Why didn't anyone wake me up?" He glared at Woojin, a slightly irritated look on his face. 

Internally, Woojin sighed. He didn't really think the pastries would make this easier, but he could hope, right?

Woojin plopped down into the seat across from Chan and took the bag out of his hands. He pulled out the crossaint and took a bite. "Actually," he said, "you're not going."

Chan stared at him. "What?"

"You're not going to practice today," Woojin repeated. He found he couldn't quite look Chan in the eye, so he focused on sipping from his own coffee. When Chan didn't reply, he looked up. 

The other boy was staring down at the table. He was biting his lip, and looked like his was about to cry. 

"Is this because of what I did?" He put his head in his hands. "I can't believe I treated everyone like that. I'm the worst."

_Shit_. This wasn't supposed to happen. "No, no," Woojin said hurriedly. "Chan, we know you didn't mean it. The team knows you're stressed out. That's what this is about." He reached across the table and took Chan's hands in his own. "You need to relax. You're not doing the team or yourself any good like this." He wiggled nervously in his chair and pulled his hands back. "I, uh. I.. kind of put something together for you." His voice became small and shy. "Like a spa day, or whatever," he mumbled.

Chan looked up. "A what?"

Woojin could feel the blush taking over his cheeks and looked up at the ceiling, willing it away. "Like, a home spa day! To take your mind off everything." He started fiddling with the straw in his iced coffee. "If you want."

When Woojin got the courage to look up again, Chan was grinning and all the nervousness coiled up inside of him was gone. "Really?" the other boy said. "Is this for filming?" He looked around for cameras. 

"No cameras," Woojin said. "It's just for you." He stood up and beckoned Chan over to the living room, where he'd laid everything out earlier this morning. He was counting on Chan's morning zombie stupor not to notice it.

"So first, you really need a bath. There's epsom salts, bath milk, aromatherapy shampoo and treatment, c-candles--" he mumbled that last part-- "and a new towel." All of their laundry eventually ended up mixed together and someone (Jisung) always forgot to move it to the dryer quickly enough, so the towels ended up smelling faintly of mildew. It didn't bother most of them, but Chan was always complaining about it. 

As he named everything on the table, Chan wound his arm around Woojin's. He was bouncing excitedly on the balls of his feet. 

"Then I picked up that comic book series you said you've been wanting to read." It was some action hero series that Woojin and Chan had both been wanting to read for awhile, but never had time to. "And I rented Splatoon for the Switch. I have to take it back tomorrow, though." Changbin's parents had bought them a Switch, but they rarely had time to play it so they only had one game. 

"It's kinda late for lunch," he went on, "but I got that instant ramen you like just in case. And, um. Dinner is a surprise." 

Chan was clinging to him. He'd stopped bouncing and was oddly still. It sounded llike he was-- 

"Chan, are you crying?"

"No," Chan said with a big sniffle. He was definitely crying. "Fine. Yes."

The tears immediately sent Woojin into big-brother mode, and he wrapped his arms around the other boy. He was good at this. It was his role in the dorm, to comfort the other members. Somehow he was the steadiest among them, and they always came to them with their tears and fears and on lonely nights and he opened his arms to them all. 

But he wouldn't lie to himself. This felt different. His heart was pounding and he could feel the soft _thump, thump_ of Chan's heartbeat faintly where the other boy was pressed against his chest. He'd never noticed any of the other members' heartbeats before. He'd never noticed how perfectly Chan's head fit into the crook of his neck, or the faintly sweet almond scent of his skin underneath the musk of sweat. He squeezed his arms a little tighter, wanting to savor all these little things and at the same time wanting to make Chan's tears go away. 

They did. After a minute or so the other boy pulled back, and Woojin tried to ignore how empty his arms felt. He cleared his throat. "Well," he said, "I should be getting to the studio, too. I hope you--" 

He was cut short when he felt a small tug on his sleeve. Chan had grabbed hold of him and was shaking his head. 

"What is it?" Woojin asked.

"Don't go." Chan's voice was small. He was staring at the floor. 

"Oh," Woojin said. His heart fluttered. "You want me to-- to stay with you?"

Chan nodded. He was still clinging to the edge of Woojin's sleeve. 

A gentle smile took over Woojin's face. He eased the fabric of his shirt out of Chan's grasp, replacing it with his own hand. "Okay," he said. "I'll stay."

* * *

 

 


	2. Chapter 2

Woojin wiped his forehead and stood back, admiring his handiwork. The cleaning noona had just come a few days ago so the bathroom was sparkling, and he had cleared out all the boys' odds and ends. Even this small space became oddly spacious when it wasn't stuffed full of the personal belongings of nine idols obsessed with their skincare routines. 

The small bathtub was filled with a milky, slightly fizzing water. It was an H2o bath powder that was featured in all the beauty magazines this month. When Woojin put his hand in to test the water, small bubbles clung to his skin. He chose the "milk+honey" scent. For the other members he would have chosen something fruity and colorful, but this seemed to fit the leader. Subdued, and slightly sweet. He breathed it in. 

The soaps and new shampoo were arranged in a little white basket next to the tub, and the new white towel was folded neatly on the sink. Six tea lights lined the bathtub's edge. They weren't yet lit. Woojin was a little unsure about them. _Is it too much?_ he kept asking himself, finger flicking the lighter on and off again. _Is it weird?_

He left his thumb on the switch for a little too long and the flame bit his skin. He cursed, immediately bringing the digit to his mouth and slipping it inside, nursing the pain. 

"Is it ready?"

Chan's head peeked through the doorway. He sniffed the air. "Oooh, it smells really good in here. Like honey."

Woojin smiled to himself despite the pain in his finger. _Nailed it._ "Yeah," he said. "Come on in." 

Chan did his silly little excited giggle and pushed into the tiled bathroom. Woojin watched his eyes light up and willed his heart to stop beating so loud. 

"Wow," Chan breathed. "Woojin, you really-- this is amazing." He pouted. "Why didn't you light the candles?" 

Woojin let out a nervous laugh. "I, uh-- I didn't know if it was too much," he admitted. 

"No, light them! I like it. It's romantic."

Woojin nearly choked. He cleared his throat to cover up his embarrassment. "Yeah, okay. Have a nice romantic bath with yourself," he said, rolling his eyes. 

Chan pouted again. "You're not going to stay with me?"

_What the fuck is going on here?_ Woojin's entire face felt hot. "No!" he rasped. "No, I'm not going to stay with you while you take a-- what is wrong with you?" 

When he looked at Chan's face he regretted the words instantly. The leader looked hurt. "Yeah, no, that's weird. Sorry," Chan said. 

_He's stressed_ , Woojin reminded himself. _This isn't normal Chan_. When he spoke again, his voice was softer. 

"As long as you warn me before you start taking your clothes off," he said. "Now move, so I can light these."

The soft smile on Chan's face was worth it as Woojin pushed past him, carefully flicking the lighter on and passing the flame to the little tealights. When he finished, he turned off the overhead light, and they were plunged into the uncertain, dancing, semi-darkness of candlelight. 

Woojin turned to face the door, his heart thumping. He could hear Chan shedding his clothing just behind him. Why was this bothering him so much now? All nine of them got dressed and undressed together all the time. He'd seen their bodies nearly as much as his own in the past year and a half. But now, his heart felt like it was about to beat out of his chest. And... that wasn't the only part of him reacting.

Suddenly he heard the gentle sloshing of water, and Chan's voice in the darkness. "Okay," he said. "You can turn around now." 

Woojin did so, hoping that the lack of light would hide the fire in his cheeks. He slid down against the wall opposite the bath, making himself comfortable on the floor. For a moment, the small room was silent.

"This is nice," Chan said. His knees were drawn up to his chest, and his pale hand trailed along the surface of the water. "What are the tiny little bubbles?"

"Oxygenated bath powder," Woojin answered absent-mindedly. He was watching Chan's hand. And his forearm, disappearing underneath the water, re-emerging at his bicep, continuing to his shoulder, and his collarbones, and his neck--

"Woojin?"

"Huh?" _Shit._

"I said, when did you get all of this stuff?" 

"Oh." _Shit shit shit. Pull yourself together, Kim Woojin._  "Last night, after you went to bed."

Chan was silent for a moment. He laid back against the back of the tub, his knees almost disappearing underneath the milky water. "I need to apologize to the kids," he said after awhile.

The air was heavy. "Yeah," Woojin agreed. "It was pretty bad yesterday."

Chan sighed. "I fucked up."

"You're stressed."

"Everyone is fucking stressed. That's not an excuse. I'm the _leader_ , I need-- I need to do better." His voice was rising.

"We're all working on the things we need to do better," Woojin said quietly. "All of us. You're not the only one."

Unexpectedly, Chan smiled at him. "What would I do without you, Woojin?"

Woojin felt his face get hot again. _What the heck?_ _Since when does Bang Chan make me blush?_ Letting himself think _cute_ was one thing. This was an entirely different level. "Shut up," he said, as much to himself as the person in the bath. He grabbed the basket of soaps and thrust it towards the leader. "Wash your hair," he demanded. "You still stink."

They both laughed, and the mood lightened. Chan stayed in the bath until his hands were pruned, and when both of them left the bathroom, the scent of milk and honey clung to their skin.

* * *

The rest of the day passed quickly. They took turns learning Splatoon, making fun of the other when they did something stupid like fall into the water or get splatted by a sniper, and devoured the comic series in record time. 

Around six, Woojin finally got up off the couch, stretching. "You're gonna have to entertain yourself for awhile," he said. "I have stuff to do."

Chan pouted at him. "Stuff? What stuff?"

Woojin shifted back and forth on his feet. "Uh," he said, "It's. A secret?" Then he realized that he was literally going to be not even thirty feet away, and Chan would know what he was doing within minutes. He laughed at himself. "Okay, it's not a secret. I'm cooking you dinner."

Chan's whole face lit up. " _Woojin_!" he shrieked. Woojin winced. "You never cook!" Chan clambered over the couch to get close to Woojin, grasping his hands in excitement. "What are you cooking?" For the millionth time that night, Woojin's heart beat a little faster. Chan's eyes were shining and looking up at him with such... what? Love? Sure, but the same love he had for all of the members. Which was fine. It was _fine_. 

Since when did Woojin want it to be anything else? 

"Stir-fry," he said, hoping his voice wasn't shaking. "With beef." It was one of the few dishes he knew how to cook without a recipe, and it was healthy enough. 

He was rewarded with a dimpled smile. "Do you need help?"

"No," Woojin said forcefully. "I'm cooking you dinner. You sit and wait."

Chan laughed a little at that. "Okay, _mom_." 

The word filled Woojin with revulsion. That was definitely _not_ what he was going for. _Oh, well._ He sucked it up and headed towards the kitchen.

* * *

Chan only managed to stay out of the kitchen for twenty minutes, lured by the scent of oil heating in the pan and rice bubbling in the rice cooker. He watched Woojin's hands move with fascinated eyes. The two were mostly silent.

That was one of the things Woojin loved about spending time with Chan. Everyone together was always so noisy. But when it was just the two of them, they could do things like this. Just... _be_. Be together, without needing anything to fill the silence. It was nice. He sat at the kitchen table, scrolling through his phone, while Woojin chopped and sauteed and seasoned. 

"Okay," Woojin said finally, wiping his hands on the apron Changbin bought and never used. "It's ready!"

Chan stretched out on the table, wiggling his fingers. "Good," he whined, "I'm starving."

"You're not starving, you had instant ramen like two hours ago."

"Yeah! Two hours ago!"

Woojin laughed as he plated the food, one for him and one for Chan. Chan's portion was significantly bigger. The man could _eat_.

He was a little nervous as he set the plate down. He'd tasted it and it was fine, but what if Chan didn't like it? What if he'd under-cooked the beef or something, and Chan got sick? What if--

"No candles?"

"Huh?" Woojin stared at Chan blankly.

"Like in the bath! You don't want to have a candlelit dinner, too?"

Woojin just stared.

Chan's smile faltered. "Haha. I mean. I was just kidding." He ran a hand through his hair; his nervous habit. "You don't wanna have a dinner date with me." He said it like a joke, but something in his voice was different. Disappointed. 

"Actually, I do."

It was out of his mouth before he could even think about what he was saying. And then it was too late. Woojin clapped a hand over his mouth, blushing furiously. 

Chan froze, chopsticks hanging in midair. "What?"

_Well it's took fucking late now._ Woojin took a deep breath. "I do?" he said, his voice high-pitched from nervousness. He cleared his throat. "I do," he said again, more sure this time, "want to... um, have a dinner d-date. With you." He can't look Chan in the eye, so he looks down at his plate instead. 

"O-oh," Chan stuttered. "Woojin..." His voice sounded really disappointed now, and it was Woojin's turn to freeze. _Did I misread him?_ A chill ran through his entire body. Did I just fuck up majorly? He instinctively began twisting the ring he always wears around his index finger. When he looked up, he saw that Chan's head was in his hands. 

"Woojin..." Chan said again, but now Woojin could barely hear him, he was talking so low. "You don't-- you don't want to get into this. Into... me."

"What?"

"I'm not... I'm not good enough for you, okay? I'm a mess. Especially right now." He lifted his head, and Woojin thinks there might be tears there. Chan gestures around the room. "You did all of this for me," he whispered. "After I was terrible to everyone on the team. I was an asshole, and you do _this_?!" Woojin could tell Chan was trying not to cry. The leader angrily palmed at his eyes, pushing away tears that haven't spilled out yet. "I don't deserve you."

Woojin's chair clattered to the floor, he stood up so quickly, and he was at Chan's side in an instant. He gently disentangled Chan's hands from his hair, and pulled the leader's head against him. 

"That's not true," he whispered. "None of that is true." 

Chan was absolutely still against him, as if he was afraid to move. Woojin pulled back and knelt down so they were face-to-face. Chan's eyes were angry and red and shining, but he was still managing not to cry. 

"You're stressed out right now, and you made a shitty mistake," Woojin said. Chan closed his eyes, and Woojin went on. "But everyone makes mistakes! And one mistake, when you're such a good person, is _nothing_. You're a _good person,_ Chan. You care about all of us more than you care about yourself. You work so fucking hard for us. And you're talented, and funny, and nice, and--" 

All of a sudden Woojin realized what he was saying, and he was suddenly embarrassed. "I mean-- you get what I mean." Chan was still looking away, and Woojin moved to chase his gaze. "Okay?" he asked firmly. 

Chan didn't say anything, but he finally looked Woojin in the eyes. Woojin got an idea, and grinned wickedly.

"If you don't agree with me, you don't get to eat," he declared.

Chan's jaw dropped. _Got 'em._ The easiest way to Chan's heart was through his stomach.

"That's not fair!" Chan protested.

Woojin shrugged. "Those are the rules," he said. He quickly reached out and snatched Chan's plate. "Agree that you're a good person and I'll give you your dinner back."

The other person narrowed his eyes and glared at him, but Woojin saw the beginnings of a smile tug at his mouth. "You're evil."

"I might be."

"Fine. I'm a good person." Chan made grabby hands towards the plate, but Woojin pulled it back even further. "Hey!" Chan whined.

" _And_ you have to agree that this is a dinner date," Woojin added, shyly this time. 

At that, Chan pulled back, and all traces of the darkness from a moment ago were gone. Instead, his face was beaming. "Okay," he said happily. "I'm a good person, and this is a dinner date." And fuck if Chan didn't blush from his cheeks all the way to the tips of his ears. 

For the second time that day, Woojin thought, _cute_. And he didn't stop himself. Because, you know what? Bang Chan _was_ cute. And Woojin wanted to have a dinner date with him. 

And that was okay. Everything was going to be okay.

 

 

**Author's Note:**

> back on my woochan bullshit
> 
> they're just so CUTE okay i can't handle it. i'm soft for them. 
> 
> I sometimes take fic requests! If there's anything you're interested in let me know! thanks for reading~


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